Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for transmitting flows of data units across a data communication network from a transmitting node towards an intended destination via one or more intermediate nodes, the data units having destination indications, the intermediate nodes being configured to receive data units, identify therefrom a transmission mode that has been selected from at least two transmission modes for the data units, and forward the data units according to the selected transmission mode. The method involves selecting a transmission mode for the flow in dependence on an estimate of the difference in the amount of a resource required to transmit the flow by one or the other transmission mode, a resource-usage measure indicative of the amount of the resource required to identify a route and reserve sufficient capacity thereon for transmission of the flow, and a probability measure indicative of a likelihood of success of an attempt to identify and reserve sufficient capacity for the flow.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling appliances, particularly climate control appliances such as air conditioning units used in buildings. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which provide a framework of semi-autonomous sensors and actuators which can achieve climate control without the need for centralised or explicit coordination. In certain embodiments, the climate control system is capable of identifying suitable pairings of sensors and actuators and taking into account actions of other actuators. The embodiments have particular application in buildings where large numbers of individual sensors and actuators are deployed in an ad-hoc or unplanned manner over time, but can communicate with each other. The embodiments of the invention can provide improved efficiency, reduced infrastructure costs, improved flexibility and can be deployed across multiple sites.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for optimizing network catchment areas, in particular based on completion times of the customer premises. Embodiments of the invention aggregate different customer premises to form demarcated catchment areas by minimizing the overall weighted cost function comprising the distance and completion time within each catchment area, while also considering practical constraints. Embodiments of the invention allow network planners to specify their preferences of distance against time to produce cost-effective network schemes for very large numbers of customer premises and form network catchment areas without any overlapping.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling appliances, particularly climate control appliances such as air conditioning units used in buildings. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which provide a framework of semi-autonomous sensors and actuators which can achieve climate control without the need for centralised or explicit coordination. In certain embodiments, the climate control system is capable of identifying suitable pairings of sensors and actuators and taking into account actions of other actuators. The embodiments have particular application in buildings where large numbers of individual sensors and actuators are deployed in an ad-hoc or unplanned manner over time, to but can communicate with each other. The embodiments of the invention can provide improved efficiency, reduced infrastructure costs, improved flexibility and can be deployed across multiple sites.

Abstract: In a wireless network formed of short range femtocells, each femtocell provides wireless connectivity to user equipment devices and the user equipment can move around the topographical range covered by the network by handing over to a neighboring femtocell. Due to the limited range of a femtocell, there will be coverage gaps. If the device moves to a location not covered by a femtocell, it will try to connect to a macrocell of a different wide area cellular network until it is within range of another femtocell network. To minimize handovers from the femtocell network to the macrocell network, each femtocell is arranged to analyze historic log data to detect coverage gaps experienced by the user equipment as it moves along a user equipment route and try to close the gaps by increasing the coverage range of femtocells on either side of the coverage gap to close the gap.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for transmitting flows of data units across a data communication network from a transmitting node towards an intended destination via one or more intermediate nodes, the data units having destination indications, the intermediate nodes being configured to receive data units, identify therefrom a transmission mode that has been selected from at least two transmission modes for the data units, and forward the data units according to the selected transmission mode. The method involves selecting a transmission mode for the flow in dependence on an estimate of the difference in the amount of a resource required to transmit the flow by one or the other transmission mode, a resource-usage measure indicative of the amount of the resource required to identify a route and reserve sufficient capacity thereon for transmission of the flow, and a probability measure indicative of a likelihood of success of an attempt to identify and reserve sufficient capacity for the flow.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of allocating a resource in a network of small cells, and a device for implementing the method, the method comprising: a first small cell detecting that its resource demand exceeds its resource allocation; the first small cell selecting a new resource that is being used by a second small cell; and the first small cell allocating the new resource to either the first or second small cell, wherein the probability the new resource is allocated to the first small cell is based on the first small cell's resource demand.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus (10) are disclosed for storing electronic documents in a distributed electronic storage system comprising a plurality of electronic storage devices (16) together providing a total storage capacity, the system having a target number of copies in respect of each document stored therein; the method comprising: determining the current number of copies of a requested document stored in the system and increasing the number of copies of that document unless the number of copies of that document is already at or above the target number of copies in respect of that document; and otherwise selecting at least one other document the number of copies stored in the system of which is below the target number of copies in respect of that at least one other document, and increasing the number of copies of that at least one other document instead.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for workload distribution, particularly in data centers, more particularly data centers which use fresh air cooling. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which calculate a load value for each server which takes account of both the temperature of the server and its current job queue, and determine the server to which an incoming job should be allocated on the basis of the load values of the available servers.

Abstract: In a wireless network formed of short range femtocells, each femtocell provides wireless connectivity to user equipment devices and the user equipment can move around the topographical range covered by the network by handing over to a neighboring femtocell. Due to the limited range of a femtocell, there will be coverage gaps. If the device moves to a location not covered by a femtocell, it will try to connect to a macrocell of a different wide area cellular network until it is within range of another femtocell network. To minimize handovers from the femtocell network to the macrocell network, each femtocell is arranged to analyze historic log data to detect coverage gaps experienced by the user equipment as it moves along a user equipment route and try to close the gaps by increasing the coverage range of femtocells on either side of the coverage gap to close the gap.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for limiting consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide arrangements in which the aggregated power load of a plurality of appliances is capped to a selected value (which may be arbitrary, or may be dictated by conditions) while seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building through a combination of distributed decision making by the appliances themselves and centralized orchestration, which may be informed by real-time sensor readings and/or known properties of the building. The distributed decision-making by individual devices may be based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity but with a central controller which determines which devices should be switched on.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of allocating a resource in a network of small cells, and a device for implementing the method, the method comprising: a first small cell detecting that its resource demand exceeds its resource allocation; the first small cell selecting a new resource that is being used by a second small cell; and the first small cell allocating the new resource to either the first or second small cell, wherein the probability the new resource is allocated to the first small cell is based on the first small cell's resource demand

Abstract: Methods and apparatus (10) are disclosed for storing electronic documents in a distributed electronic storage system comprising a plurality of electronic storage devices (16) together providing a total storage capacity, the system having a target number of copies in respect of each document stored therein; the method comprising: determining the current number of copies of a requested document stored in the system and increasing the number of copies of that document unless the number of copies of that document is already at or above the target number of copies in respect of that document; and otherwise selecting at least one other document the number of copies stored in the system of which is below the target number of copies in respect of that at least one other document, and increasing the number of copies of that at least one other document instead.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which probabilistically limit the aggregated power load of a plurality of climate control appliances in a building to a selected value, while seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building. The embodiments of the invention propose distributed decision-making by individual devices based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for workload distribution, particularly in data centers, more particularly data centers which use fresh air cooling. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which calculate a load value for each server which takes account of both the temperature of the server and its current job queue, and determine the server to which an incoming job should be allocated on the basis of the load values of the available servers.

Abstract: This invention relates to assignment of mobile clients (such as mobile telephones or software agents) to mainly stationary servers (such as mobile network base stations or computer servers) with the objective of reducing or minimizing the number of active servers. Once the number of users of a server drops below a specified level, the server may be deactivated resulting in power and efficiency savings. Preferably the method of the invention operates dynamically and during run time. In certain embodiments, the method can accept trade-offs in the quality of service or the number of active servers. In an embodiment of the invention, servers are arranged to “compete” with adjacent servers for their clients. This competition may be in a self-amplifying manner such that with the effect that more “popular” servers are more likely to succeed thus resulting in servers which are below a utilization threshold and can therefore be switched off.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which probabilistically limit the aggregated power load of a plurality of climate control appliances in a building to a selected value, whilst seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building. The embodiments of the invention propose distributed decision-making by individual devices based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for limiting consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide arrangements in which the aggregated power load of a plurality of appliances is capped to a selected value (which may be arbitrary, or may be dictated by conditions) whilst seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building through a combination of distributed decision making by the appliances themselves and centralized orchestration, which may be informed by real-time sensor readings and/or known properties of the building. The distributed decision-making by individual devices may be based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity but with a central controller which determines which devices should be switched on.

Abstract: A method and system of scheduling demands on a system having a plurality of resources are provided. The method includes the steps of, on receipt of a new demand for resources: determining the total resources required to complete said demand and a deadline for the completion of that demand; determining a plurality of alternative resource allocations which will allow completion of the demand before the deadline; for each of said alternative resource allocations, determining whether, based on allocations of resources to existing demands, said alternative resource allocation will result in a utilization of resources which is closer to an optimum utilization of said resources; and selecting, based on said determination, one of said alternative resource allocations to complete said demand so as to optimise utilization of resources of the system.

Abstract: This invention relates to assignment of mobile clients (such as mobile telephones or software agents) to mainly stationary servers (such as mobile network base stations or computer servers) with the objective of reducing or minimizing the number of active servers. Once the number of users of a server drops below a specified level, the server may be deactivated resulting in power and efficiency savings. Preferably the method of the invention operates dynamically and during run time. In certain embodiments, the method can accept trade-offs in the quality of service or the number of active servers. In an embodiment of the invention, servers are arranged to “compete” with adjacent servers for their clients. This competition may be in a self-amplifying manner such that with the effect that more “popular” servers are more likely to succeed thus resulting in servers which are below a utilization threshold and can therefore be switched off.